In The Rain
by naughtsandcrosses
Summary: After months of separation, Clare and Eli find themselves spontaneously meeting at the setting of their first kiss during a rainstorm. That night changed them. Will they be separated by their differences or brought back together by their love?


Hello all! Here is another glorious one shot I came up with… and I hope you like it!

Tell me what you think in a REVIEW.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Degrassi

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><p>It was all around me. All the tension; the awkwardness; and the words left unspoken. This is what it was like living under the same roof as Jake. Now that our parents were getting married, we were forced to call it quits. But my mother and his father still walked around like nothing big happened and that we'll be one happy family in a fairy tale. Can you imagine having your ex be your stepbrother? Cause that seems more like a nightmare to me than anything.<p>

Every night at dinner, we never spoke. My mother would giggle like a schoolgirl at some ridiculous joke Glen made, that wasn't even funny in the first place. Jake would take a sip of water to fill the silence. Sometimes I wouldn't even eat. I'd push around my food on my plate and make it seem like I ate something, but I never did. It wasn't that I was starving myself – but I was, in all actuality, too stressed, and feeling too awkward to eat. Remember back when you had your first boyfriend in school, and you would sit with him at lunch, but was too embarrassed to eat much, in fear of totally humiliating yourself, by say, dripping some ketchup on your shirt or something? Living in this hellhole is kind of what it felt like – to not feel at home anymore.

I always found myself writing. Kind of predictable of me, as I was always one to pour my heart out to a piece of paper than put it into words that came out of my mouth. More than I like to admit, I found myself thinking of Eli. In a situation like this, I'd usually go to him for advice and a way to escape. But alas, things got to be so complicated that I couldn't handle it anymore. Some nights I lie awake – I've been doing that a lot lately – trying to remind myself as to why something so great had to end so badly.

On a particularly bad night of my newfound insomnia, I listened to the storm that was beating on my windowpane. I was entranced by the falling raindrops creating a melodic rhythm on the thin glass. As much as I wanted to collapse into my bed and fall asleep, I knew it would be no use, as I was growing accustomed to not sleeping every night. I just sighed, and climbed out of bed. I can't sleep, so what's the use? I might as well go for a walk. I put on some old sweats and a sweatshirt, and walked straight out into the pouring rain, not carrying that the raindrops soon cut through my clothes and I was soaked almost immediately. But I didn't care; I just let my feet take me wherever they needed to go.

I found myself thinking of the past; and the questions popping into my head, but to no avail could I answer any of them. _How did things end up this way?_ Was the one that stuck out the most; and the one that I put the most thought into. _Well, you can't help who you love._ As this was a true statement, for it was not my fault that my mother and Jake's father found an interest in each other, but the hastiness of it all! My mother did not realize how much she was hurting me – even if she had not known it. All of the words she threw at my father, had hurt me as well, for I was the product of them two combined. _Did this mean I would end up like them?_ I thought about that almost daily, and it was one of my many fears at the time of my falling relationship with Eli. I usually shrugged off the thought, and distracted myself with other things to keep my mind off of the questions haunting me.

I truly was soaked now, as I was starting to shiver, but not once did I contemplate turning around to walk home. I kept a steady pace down the sidewalk, staring at my shoes every now and then. I kept going, for I had nothing where my home had once been. It made me physically ill to be in that place longer than I had to be, and made up every excuse to stay out of the house. The rain never ceased, and neither did my feet.

The night was dark, and the pouring rain made it almost impossible to see a few feet in front of my face. I didn't care; I was too absorbed in my thoughts. I thought about Eli, mostly. Flashes of our best memories going through my mind; and I smiled mentally at the thought of our _real_ first kiss, that day in the library. Oh, how I'd like to go back to that day, and repeat that kiss over, and over, and over… I never got tired revisiting that memory. My mind stopped at the day we did our Romeo and Juliet project. The way his lips were so gently placed on mine; how he tasted like that cola, or "poison" as we acted it out to be, and how his hand so protectively wrapped around my waist. Every time that beautiful man kissed me, I was on cloud nine.

I smiled to myself at that wonderful memory, and at once did I realize where I was.

I was surrounded by a few trees, which blocked the wind and rain a little bit, and there was a soaked picnic table in the center of it all. The place reminded me of something, and I softly gasped as to where I happened to be.

I was in the park – at the exact place where Eli, Adam and I shot our Romeo and Juliet video.

But it wasn't just that, but there was a crumpled, soaking figure on the picnic table, slightly shaking, and soft sobs coming from underneath a black hood. I cleared my throat a little, just so I wouldn't scare the person. The figure jumped slightly, and revealed a crying, puffy eyed, sleep deprived Eli. I pursed my lips and walked slowly up to him. Eli turned away from me, but not before I saw unmistakable stains of tears rolling down his face. I slowly removed Eli's hood, and his black hair fell out from underneath the wraps of the hoodie. He was in need of a haircut, and I reached up and ran my fingers slowly through his hair. Although he was soaking wet, his hair was still soft.

"W-What are you d-doing here?" Eli asked softly, sputtering a little as he was still crying.

"I'd like to ask you the same thing." I said quietly.

Eli didn't say anything, but I took that as a chance. I engulfed him in a tight, yet gentle, and not to mention soaking wet hug. Eli tensed up a little, but slowly gave in and relaxed. I still stroked his hair, and it helped him calm down. Even from layers of clothing, I could still feel the tingles on my skin from being in contact with him. He still made me nervous after all this time – and still made me have goose bumps.

After some time, Eli slowly started to pull away. I gave him a look of confusion, and I saw another tear roll down his face. I used my thumb and wiped it away, as he had done for me on many occasions during the course of our relationship. He still shrugged away, and I felt cold from the distance.

"I-I can't do this, Clare," Eli whispered.

"Do what?" I said puzzled.

"Be close to you. I'll just get my hopes up and push you away again," Eli rasped.

"Well…" I started.

"I'm a suffocating monster, remember?" Eli cut in.

"Eli…" I said.

"No," he interrupted, "You have no idea how I _felt_. How I felt when I saw you with _him. _How I thought you were happier without me, and I was just stuck to pine over you forever. I_ tried_, Clare. _I tried_ so hard to get over you," Eli said bitterly. I jumped at his tone a little, but I could tell that it was just reliving the memory was painful for him.

"…but I just…couldn't." Eli muttered. I barely caught it, but I did. I lifted his chin up, and I leaned in and softly kissed his cheek. He gasped at the contact. I pulled away, looked him dead in the face, as a tear started to roll down my cheek, and said, "I couldn't get over you either."

The change in Eli's face was immediate, and it looked as if a light turned on inside his face. He grabbed both sides of my face and kissed me.

The fireworks were still the same. After all these months of separation, I felt whole once again. I locked my fingers permanently in his hair and returned the kiss with as much passion as I could muster. I needed to show Eli that I missed him; that I loved him; and how I needed to be with him.

Eli wrapped his arms around my waist, while tilting his head to deepen the kiss. I pressed myself deeper into his embrace and returned the kiss with much love. Eli licked my lips and I immediately opened to him, letting him explore my mouth with his tongue as he pleased. He was so warm that I didn't even feel the rain anymore. After a little while, his tongue torturously left my mouth, but not before he bit my bottom lip as he pulled away.

I kept my eyes closed, and my lips were tingling. I slowly opened my eyes to finally see those eyes I loved so much. They were just as I remembered – fiery jade with a hint of black, giving them a sense of vagueness. His eyes were tear free, but I could see a little bit of fear inside.

Eli took a deep breath, and said very slowly, "What does this mean, Clare?" he asked.

"Well, it's kind of obvious we still have feelings for each other," I said a little sarcastically.

"Well, I know _that,_" said Eli, who stood up and started pacing. "But what about Jake, and lets not forget my many issues that broke us up in the first place? I'm going to therapy, Clare. I'm taking my meds. I'm fine. But tonight, I'm not sure why I broke down. I guess after seeing you move on, to me it seemed final; that you weren't coming back. I was just so miserable for so long, that it all came out. In a way, I'm glad it did." Eli said carefully, as if he was trying to choose his words correctly.

"Jake is now my step brother, and I refuse to have any kind of relationship with someone who lives in the same residence as me and we aren't married. It's unethical. Also – it's amazing that you're trying to get better, Eli. It really is. I was miserable the whole time I was with Jake. Because the whole time, I was trying to get over you, and I just couldn't. I painted myself a pretty picture that Jake and I could work, but we couldn't. I'm sorry for not sticking by you that I promise I would. Leaving you is my biggest regret." I said tearfully.

In a total of two seconds, Eli was in front of me. He wiped away a few tears that were falling from my face, and leaned down to kiss the places where the tears fell.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "To be honest, I'm glad you left. I needed time to get better." Eli said softly as he wiped one last tear away.

"Can we make things work?" I whispered. I was terrified of what he'd say. I miss him god damn it. I needed to be with Eli badly. But he still needed time to get better. What if he rejects me?

"One step at a time. We can do this. Take it slow, you know?" Eli said, and I blew out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"We can do this." I repeated.

With that, Eli took my hand in his, and interlaced our fingers. I felt familiar warmth overtake me and I sighed happily. I was soaked to the bone, shaking a little, but I didn't feel the cold anymore.

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><p>After months of being back together, and not to mention fighting a nasty cold for almost a month, Eli and I were happy. The second semester was well under way at Degrassi, and Eli was waiting ever so impatiently for the results of the two colleges he applied for. Between U of T and Ottawa, he had the hardest time choosing between them, so he just applied to both, for good measure. For months he had been on edge, and as February came, he grew more impatient.<p>

"Clare, what if I didn't make it? What if I'm not what they're looking for?" Eli panicked on a particularly bad March morning. He was shaking, and tears were forming in the corners of his eyes. I took his face in my hands and forced him to look at me.

"Elijah." I said firmly, "Don't pull the zero confidence card with me. I will blow up your ego so much that the space station can see your head from space. You are _exactly_ what the colleges are looking for. If they don't pick you, then it's obvious that they're on something. You have potential, Eli." I kissed his cheek, and he smiled a little.

One a rainy morning in April, I woke to the sound of banging on my front door. I opened to find Eli with two huge envelopes in his hand.

"I didn't want to open them without you." He said.

I smiled, and let him in. He quickly sat down on the couch with the envelopes in his lap and waited patiently for me.

"Which should we open first?" Eli asked excitedly. He had so much happiness in his tone that only a fool wouldn't see it emitting from his voice, and he was shaking from not only excitedness, but probably nervousness as well.

"Ottawa." I said.

Eli sighed, smiled nervously, and ripped open the package to find the letter.

"_Dear Mr. Goldsworthy, we are very sorry to say that…"_ Eli didn't finish. He set down the letter disappointed, but I picked it up and read aloud:

"_Although you seem to be a promising student, we believe that you will find a better fit for yourself at a different university."_ I finished reading.

Eli covered his face with his hand, and started shaking his leg up and down, as if deep in thought.

"Eli, this may be a sign. Open the one from Toronto." I said.

He picked up the other envelope, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened the package carefully.

"_Dear Mr. Goldsworthy, we would like to congratulate you…"_ Eli didn't finish once again, but this time he jumped up and happy danced around my living room with goofy looks on his face.

Halfway through doing the Party Rock Shuffle, I got up giggling and took him up in my arms. Eli lifted me into the air and spun me around, while we both laughed. After a few seconds, Eli got dizzy and set me down on the couch on my back while he hovered over me. His guitar pick necklace was dangling from his neck, and I reached up and started playing with it. Eli caught his breath and then set his head down into the crook of my neck and laid a few kisses on the place where my neck met my collarbone, and went up to my jawline and back down. I ran my fingers through his jet-black locks.

"Told you you'd get in." I said sarcastically and playfully slapped his shoulder.

Eli chuckled, and his warm breath tickled my neck. He didn't respond, but continued to place butterfly kisses on my neck and cheek. We lay like that for awhile, until we had both fallen asleep.

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><p>I woke up the next morning in my bed and Eli's arms wrapped around my waist. At some point in the night he must have carried me to bed and stayed the night. Rain was coming down hard on the roof, and the sound was convincing me to go back to bed, but I got up anyway.<p>

I unraveled myself from Eli's grip, while attempting not to wake him up, and went to go brush my teeth. No sooner had I finished had a very sleepy Eli with a bad case of bed head. He walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed the back of my neck. I turned my head and kissed his lips chastely. I was enveloped in Eli's warmth and I sighed contently. The sound of the pouring rain echoed on the roof; and to me it seemed like Eli and I were the only people in the universe. At that moment I made my decision; something I should have made months ago before the Morty incident. I knew from that second, that this is where I wanted to be for my whole life – with him.

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><p>Years passed, and still nothing had changed. Eli and I were still together, and we were still as happy as our teenage days. Eli was now on his way to become a successful writer, with his first novel that got him noticed by the public eye now in tow, he was working relentlessly on a second novel that would be even better than the first. I would always chuckle at how he would sometimes get so frustrated because he would have writer's block, but somehow he always went back to that laptop, typing furiously, for a couple hours every few days.<p>

One rainy night in early May, Eli ran out of our bedroom with the goofiest look on his face. He started dancing around, and as I laughed memories started flooding back at the day he got accepted into T of U.

"Why so happy?" I asked.

"My book is in the Top 5 Best Seller List in the _New York Times!_" he said halfway through the cabbage patch dance. For being almost 23, he was still a kid at heart. I giggled, and wrapped my arms around Eli's neck and hugged him. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

"I'm so proud of you." I said pulling away, and leaned in for a kiss. Eli's grip around me tightened a little, and he clasped his fingers together behind my back.

"Now, I know you wanted me to be the first to know, but now go call Adam. So he can obsess over it." I said.

"But…Adam won't give me the same reaction as you. I'm enjoying this." Eli said, and he turned his head to bite my neck, and I squeaked.

"But he's your best friend." I said.

"Yes, but I don't want my best friend to kiss me. Ew." Eli replied.

"Touché." I smirked.

"So does this mean I can keep kissing you and not call Adam?" He asked.

"Nope, you can't have any more kisses until you call Adam." I answered while unwinding my legs from his waist, making him lose his grip on me and I walked away.

"God damn it, woman. You're lucky I love you." Eli shouted after me, but he was partially drowned out, due to the rain that was pounding on the roof.

_~Fin~_

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><p>I thought the last half of the one shot sucked. But that's just me. I'm working on a three shot, that was inspired by my now <strong>ex<strong> boyfriend. It is NOT sad. Parts of it will be, but the ending will still have my signature touch of having a happy feel to it. Keep an eye out for it in the next couple weeks. The name is… _Moments, Perfection, and Redemption_.

So, review?


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